Sticking their finger into the payday-lending pie, a pair of federal bank regulatory agencies have proposed guidelines for those institutions that offer the loan equivalent.

Called deposit advance loans, the transaction is little different than oft-criticized payday loans that offer up-front cash on the promise of repayment when the paycheck arrives. The short-term payday deals have a lump-sum fee that calculates out to a percentage equivalent that can reach into the 1,000-plus percent, which puts them in the realm of predatory.

Deposit advance loans, however, which local banks such as Wells Fargo offer as emergency solutions to financial issues and specifically not as a long-term one, requires automatic direct deposit repayment. Fees for the service vary, but at Wells, for instance, it’s $1.50 per $20. So a $300 advance for 30 days costs $22.50.

Laura Keeney writes about aerospace and airlines for The Post. When she's not at work, you can usually find her taking in live music, reading voraciously, or doing something science-related and nerdy. She also loves The Clash ... a lot.

Emilie Rusch covers retail and commercial real estate for The Post. A Wisconsin native and Mizzou graduate, she moved to Colorado in 2012. Before that, she worked at a small daily newspaper in South Dakota. It's the one with Mount Rushmore.